SF 325

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to occupational safety and health; permitting
injured employees a civil remedy if an employer
willfully or repeatedly violated safety laws; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 182.666, subdivision
1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 182.666,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1. Any employer who willfully or repeatedly
violates the requirements of section 182.653, or any standard,
rule, or order adopted under the authority of the commissioner
as provided in this chapter, may be assessed a fine not to
exceed $70,000 for each violation. The minimum fine for a
willful violation is $5,000. new text begin In addition, notwithstanding
section 182.671 or any other law to the contrary, the employer
shall be liable for damages to a seriously injured employee or
legal representative or, if death results from the injury, the
employee's heirs or next of kin where the violation was a
substantial contributing cause of the injury or death. For
purposes of this subdivision, "serious injury" means an injury
that causes:
new text end

new text begin (1) more than $100,000 in medical expenses for its cure and
relief; or
new text end

new text begin (2) at least 52 weeks of lost work time.
new text end